The "Panic about Matt Duchene" thread

[the_fan]

Here is a little horror thought for many Avs fans with high hopes about Duchene.

So far he just looks more like an AHL player, his finishing is awful, he loses the puck while trying to do too much with it, and overall i'm just not impressed with this guy (at least not yet) So i'm wondering what happens if he becomes a bust?

Where do the Avs find a 2nd line center if Duchene never develops into a top 2 center? I mean i hope that never happens, but it's possible.

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[Freudian]

He's 19. He's still trying too many junior tricks but he'll learn in time. He still have a lot of work to do when it comes to using his linemates better.

I don't think that he has superstar upside but he will turn into a good NHL scoring line center. He looks to have improved his faceoffs already and he will start scoring more goal sooner rather than later.

He has been fine this season. No reason to freak out.

 

[the_fan]

He's 19. He's still trying too many junior tricks but he'll learn in time. He still have a lot of work to do when it comes to using his linemates better.

I don't think that he has superstar upside but he will turn into a good NHL scoring line center. He looks to have improved his faceoffs already and he will start scoring more goal sooner rather than later.

He has been fine this season. No reason to freak out.

If that's the case, don't you think just (good) isn't going to be enough? Because Stastny not being a true star player either as the #1 center, so basically 2 good top 2 centers neither is a true superstar, and god awful D, tell me how is this team suppose to have any success.

 

[Freudian]

If that's the case, don't you think just (good) isn't going to be enough? Because Stastny not being a true star player either as the #1 center, so basically 2 good top 2 centers neither is a true superstar, and god awful D, tell me how is this team suppose to have any success.

Why wouldn't two PPG centers be good enough? As for the D, most likely big parts of it won't look the same when we are ready to make the push either through our prospects turning into solid players or we reinforcing through trades/free agents.

Stop getting worked up over nothing. There is no reason to be pessimistic. We all knew (or should have known) this season too would be very up and down.

 

[El_Loco_Avs]

We might want to give him some time, as in let him turn 24-25 before declaring him a bust.

He already had a solid 55pts last year, which is actually pretty ridiculous for a smallish 18 year old. And despite him apparantly not playing well he's on pace for an improvement in points!

 

[Mouse21*]

calling him a bust is just generally dopey.

dude is great, just not finishing well at the moment. in the game against columbus he was flying around the ice, didnt get a point, but was very successful.

stastny and duchene will be every bit as dangerous as they need to be. what makes a superstar anyway? kane and towes never had 100+ point seasons, towes wasnt even PPG last year, or ANY year for that matter, does that make him not a superstar?

if stastny had all the hype most PPG+ players do, people would call him a superstar. duchene is 19, and is doing fine this season.

give it some time, we dont even have a halfway respectable D yet.

 

[Hasbro]

From a year ago:

Your kidding yourself if you think Stewart is going to be a top 6 forward at some point in his career. There are some things you can teach, but some things you just have to have, and Stewart doesn't have some of those things. Those things are called intangibles.

There is an issue if you played on the Avs last year as a 20yr old, then this year as a 21yr old where there was little to no competition for his position he can't even make the squad. He is lazy and not as talented as people thought.

The guy is a hockey Pejorative Slur. I think he may be able to evolve into a 3rd/4th line player but thats it. He isn't all of a sudden going to turn into a Bertuzzi type player.

 

[iAvs]

I knew someone would make this thread after last night.

Fact: He's 19 years old and has been smacked on the butt by his coach for not getting the message; Don't turn the puck over at the blueline.

We just watched him FLY against Columbus last week. He didn't score, but IMO, was easily one of the best players on the ice. He sucked last night, but who didn't?

I don't care what anyone says, I've seen enough out of Duchene to see he does have superstar talent and at the, VERY LEAST, a PPG center.

 

[jaisen73]

Can we make a new rule: No one can officially be declared a bust until they are of legal age to drink?

 

[chet1926]

From a year ago:

I was justified in saying that at the time because it was true. I'm very glad Stewart has figured out how to work hard, and play to his potential instead of coasting around like he was doing before his demotion last year.

With Duchene the work ethic is there he is just is a kid and a bit immature, he will have hot streaks and cold streaks thats what happens with most 19 year olds not named Crosby, Ovechkin and Stamkos. If by year 3 he hasn't made some strides to becoming a better finsiher and overall player then we might need, to get a little concerned. But for a 19 year old to be playing defensively responsible, and be able to put 50-65pts on the board is very acceptable in my books because that will probably translate to 70-85pts when he matures into a adult. He is a kid, think about when you were 19, could you play in the NHL? Probably not.

 

[NomadJackson]

I was justified in saying that at the time because it was true.

No, you were wrong. You assumed what we were seeing from a young player was an indication that he didn't and would never have what it takes to be a good player. That was as false and unjustified then as it is now. There's crow on your plate, quit dilly dallying and eat up. But thanks for providing a counter example for the current legion of Duchene drama queens.

 

[chewey]

Told you all that we should have drafted Evander Kane. But did anyone listen? Nooooooooe.

 

[AZduner]

Duchene needs Mueller back on his wing.

 

[Alex Jones]

From a year ago:

Stewart WAS a bust. He hasn't even won any awards yet!!

 

[iAvs]

No, you were wrong. You assumed what we were seeing from a young player was an indication that he didn't and would never have what it takes to be a good player. That was as false and unjustified then as it is now. There's crow on your plate, quit dilly dallying and eat up. But thanks for providing a counter example for the current legion of Duchene drama queens.

Why can't people admit they were wrong? lol

It's like saying "the world is flat" but when it turns out it's round, they go ahead and say "but at the time I was right in saying that".

 

[falconski]

Can we make a new rule: No one can officially be declared a bust until they are of legal age to drink?

wait, what's the legal drinking age in canada?

 

[chewey]

wait, what's the legal drinking age in canada?

19. But they hardly check in downtown toronto/vancouver. Think I've only been carded three times in my whole life and all three were at the same bar. lol

 

[rpontbriand]

This thread is a bust.

Next topic

 

[Foppa Frossa]

Here is a little horror thought for many Avs fans with high hopes about Duchene.

So far he just looks more like an AHL player, his finishing is awful, he loses the puck while trying to do too much with it, and overall i'm just not impressed with this guy (at least not yet) So i'm wondering what happens if he becomes a bust?

Where do the Avs find a 2nd line center if Duchene never develops into a top 2 center? I mean i hope that never happens, but it's possible.

There is very little evidence to support this. He was a finalist for rookie of the year last year with 55 points. He has 9 points in 12 games, which is on pace for 61 points this season; and most everyone thinks he is under-achieving at this point. There are many many other players who are late bloomers in the NHL; we played against two of them last night. We have a lot of depth in our system that can be put in play if Duchene doesn't work out. Relax.

He also has more points than Kovalchuk this season and is getting paid a fraction of the salary

 

[Pendejo]

It seems to me that a big part of his problem putting the puck in the net is that he tries to be too fine. It's similar to when a pitcher aims instead of just throwing to a spot...it screws up their control. He's got a pretty good shot. He just needs to put the thing on net, and go from there.

Things aren't necessarily all rosy right now, but his ceiling is still very high.

 

[Unaffiliated]

There is very little evidence to support this. He was a finalist for rookie of the year last year with 55 points. He has 9 points in 12 games, which is on pace for 61 points this season; and most everyone thinks he is under-achieving at this point. There are many many other players who are late bloomers in the NHL; we played against two of them last night. We have a lot of depth in our system that can be put in play if Duchene doesn't work out. Relax.

He also has more points than Kovalchuk this season and is getting paid a fraction of the salary

This.

Last year he took a while to really get going. Considering he's had decent point production so far while playing some pretty lackluster games, I think it's pretty ridiculous so begin even insinuating that he's a "bust".

 

[ColoradoSportsFan]

The fact that this thread exsists is hilarious

 

[R S]

I admit that I have been terrified by his play lately, but a few bad games does not = bust.

Grow up.

 

[chewey]

I admit that I have been terrified by his play lately, but a few bad games does not = bust.

Grow up.

but but but... crosby and ovechkin have the hartz and rocketzz duchene doesn't have ****!! he sucks.

 

[detrude]

This.

Last year he took a while to really get going. Considering he's had decent point production so far while playing some pretty lackluster games, I think it's pretty ridiculous so begin even insinuating that he's a "bust".

But he just had a bad game where he was benched for a bit! Obviously he's never going to amount to anything because it's fun to overreact to a bad game.